Sony WH-1000XM6 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-1000XM6, the specs that matter, and what changes when you use them with a Mac. Copy the settings and apply them in one click.
The short answer
- Turns the bass down evenly by about 3 to 4 dB below 200 Hz, easing off by 400 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 1.3 kHz and dips slightly, by about 1.5 dB, between 2 and 3 kHz.
- Lifts 6 to 8 kHz by up to 4 dB for more detail.
- Cuts the top treble above 10 kHz by up to 4 dB.
WH-1000XM6 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, released in 2025. Official specifications from Sony:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.3
- Bluetooth codecs
- SBC, AAC, LDAC (Classic Audio); LC3 (LE Audio)
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; TMAP, GMAP, PBP
- Bluetooth frequency range
- 20 Hz to 20 kHz (44.1 kHz sampling); 20 Hz to 40 kHz (LDAC, 96 kHz, 990 kbps)
- Frequency response (wired)
- 4 Hz to 40 kHz
- Driver
- 30 mm
- Battery life
- Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, 40 hours with it off (AAC)
- Charging
- About 3.5 hours; 3 minutes gives up to 3 hours of playback
- Microphones
- 12 for noise cancelling; 6 used for calls
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once, with Auto Switch
- Range
- About 10 m (32.8 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 254 g (9 oz)
Sources: Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: supported codecs, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony WH-1000XM6 specifications, Sony launch announcement.
Using the WH-1000XM6 with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WH-1000XM6 support SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, but macOS doesn't support LDAC. On a Mac they play over AAC, which carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz). The 40 kHz hi-res figure only applies to LDAC, which Macs don't support.
Calls sound worse than music. As soon as an app uses the headphones' microphone (Zoom, FaceTime, a dictation shortcut), Bluetooth switches to hands-free mode, which has much lower audio quality. Pick your Mac's built-in microphone as the input to keep the WH-1000XM6 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. Multipoint keeps the WH-1000XM6 connected to your Mac and your phone at the same time, and Sony's Auto Switch moves between them.
LE Audio stays off by default. The LC3 codec only works over LE Audio, which Sony's app enables in its Low latency mode; the factory setting, Prioritize Sound Quality, uses Classic Audio. That is the mode a Mac connects in, over AAC.
Noise control without your phone. Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac asks your headphones which noise controls they support and shows them in the menu bar. It hasn't been tested on the WH-1000XM6 yet. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Kuulokenurkka's measurements of the WH-1000XM6. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass down evenly by about 3 to 4 dB below 200 Hz, easing off by 400 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 1.3 kHz and dips slightly, by about 1.5 dB, between 2 and 3 kHz.
- Lifts 6 to 8 kHz by up to 4 dB for more detail.
- Cuts the top treble above 10 kHz by up to 4 dB.
The XM6 are new, and published measurements of them still disagree, most of all above 10 kHz: another measurement in AutoEQ (Super Review) calls for a treble boost there instead of a cut. This page uses the one AutoEQ recommends. If the result sounds dull to you, try lowering or removing the high shelf (filter 6).
Fit, ear pads and your own ears all change what you hear, and neutral isn't everyone's favourite sound. Use this as a starting point, then adjust by ear.
Apply it in TuningMac (parametric EQ)
TuningMac's Advanced EQ imports this format directly. Copy the settings, then:
- Open TuningMac ▸ Settings ▸ Advanced EQ with your WH-1000XM6 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-1000XM6 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-1000XM6 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.4 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 181 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 0.79 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 7457 Hz Gain 5.2 dB Q 1.98 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1298 Hz Gain 4.2 dB Q 1.37 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2112 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 1.13 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 53 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 1.86 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 637 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 3.67 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 840 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 4.20 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 93 Hz Gain -0.2 dB Q 1.45
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 181 Hz | −2.7 dB | 0.79 |
| 3 | Bell | 7.46 kHz | +5.2 dB | 1.98 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.3 kHz | +4.2 dB | 1.37 |
| 5 | Bell | 2.11 kHz | −2.9 dB | 1.13 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −4.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 53 Hz | +0.6 dB | 1.86 |
| 8 | Bell | 637 Hz | −0.9 dB | 3.67 |
| 9 | Bell | 840 Hz | +0.9 dB | 4.20 |
| 10 | Bell | 93 Hz | −0.2 dB | 1.45 |
Preamp: −4.4 dB. It lowers the overall level so the boosts don't clip.
Prefer simple sliders? The 10-band version
No Advanced EQ needed: AutoEQ also gives values for a standard 10-band equalizer, the same bands as TuningMac's main EQ. In the menu bar popover choose Custom, set each slider, and set the preamp to about −5.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WH-1000XM6 use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WH-1000XM6 support SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, but macOS doesn't support LDAC, so on a Mac they play over AAC. That carries 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio at standard sample rates; Sony's hi-res LDAC mode is for Android phones and other devices that support it.
What are the best EQ settings for the Sony WH-1000XM6?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Kuulokenurkka's measurements, turns the bass down by about 3 to 4 dB, adds about 3 dB near 1.3 kHz, lifts 6 to 8 kHz by up to 4 dB and cuts the top treble above 10 kHz, with a preamp of -4.4 dB. The exact values are on this page, ready to copy. Treat it as a neutral starting point and adjust to taste.
Why do my Sony WH-1000XM6 sound bad on calls on a Mac?+
When an app uses the headphones' microphone, Bluetooth switches from stereo music mode to a hands-free call mode with much lower audio quality. To keep music quality during calls, choose your Mac's built-in microphone as the input instead. TuningMac's Input list does this in one click, and its Device Info shows which mode you're in.
Can I control the Sony WH-1000XM6's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac asks your headphones which noise controls they support and shows them in the menu bar. It hasn't been tested on the WH-1000XM6 yet.
Should I turn off the EQ in Sony's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Sony's app is applied inside the headphones, so it also affects your Mac and would add to this correction. TuningMac's EQ only changes sound from your Mac, so it won't affect your phone.
Tune your WH-1000XM6 on your Mac
Parametric and 10-band EQ, noise control and battery in the menu bar.
EQ data from AutoEQ by Jaakko Pasanen (MIT licence), measurement by Kuulokenurkka. Specifications from Sony's published specifications. Sony WH-1000XM6 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.